ATMA Exam Analysis 2018

The ATMA or AIMS Test for Management Admission 2018 was conducted in a computer-based format on Sunday, February 25, 2018 in various cities across the country. ATMA is conducted in both online and offline modes on different dates. In ATMA, (Objective) Multiple Choice type questions are asked from candidates. For offline mode, the correct answers have to be marked on the OMR answer sheet. Using blue or black ink ball point pen only to mark the answers is a must.

The paper has 6 sections carrying a total of 180 questions. In case of offline test, one has to attempt each section in serial order. However, the computer-based exam has no such requirement. All the questions, which cover topics including Analytical Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal skills, have to be attempted within a duration of 3 hours.

For every multiple-choice question, you have to choose the correct or best answer from the four choices available. The four answers are numbered as 1, 2, 3 and 4. In case of paper-based test, you have to darken the oval in the answer sheet whereas you have to click on the right answer in the computer-based test. In the question paper, you will see that the questions are numbered serially starting from 1 and ending at 180. You must begin with answering the first question of each section and proceed in a sequential manner.

For every right answer, one mark is awarded. A zero score is given to a question that had not been answered. For every wrong or incorrect answer, a negative score 0.25 is subtracted. Therefore, one mark is deducted from the total score for four wrong answers.

ATMA is a national-level exam, which is taken by management aspirants for admission to programmes such as MBA, PGDM, MCA, MCM etc. Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS) is the official conducting body of ATMA and it is held multiple times in a year.

You may check the ATMA 2018 Answer Key now that the exam has been conducted. With the help of answer key, you can calculate your probable marks and get an idea of how you performed in the exam. The last ATMA 2018 examination was conducted on 14th January, 2018 in a paper-based format.

ATMA Exam Analysis 2016

ATMA exam is one of the most popular MBA entrance exams in India. The exam pattern of ATMA exam has remained similar as compared to previous years ATMA exams. The paper was divided into 2 parts, each part having 1 Quant, 1 Analytical Reasoning and 1 Verbal section. The ATMA test is conducted online and the duration of each part is 90 minutes, and the students have no option to go back to the first part once the second part has started. However, individual sections are not timed during the ATMA exam. There are 170 questions in total: 85 questions each in Part I & Part II to be attempted in 180 minutes. Negative mark of 1/3 is deducted for every wrong answer. One minute gap is usually given between the parts. Students with a valid ATMA score can apply to Master of Business Administration/ MBA course across top MBA colleges in India.

ATMA 2016 Exam Pattern:

Part

Section

Allotted time

Number of questions

I

Quantitative skills

90 min

30

Analytical Reasoning skills

30

Verbal skills

25

II

Analytical Reasoning skills

90 min

30

Verbal skills

25

Quantitative skills

30

Total

180 min

ATMA Sectional Analysis

Verbal Skills

No. of questions: 50 (25 in each section)

Area

Description

Marks

Good Score

Reading Comprehension

Passage 1

5

18-20

Passage 2

5

Passage 3

5

Passage 4

10

Verbal

Synonyms (Word pairs)

4

15-17

Fill in the Blanks

5

Para Completion Questions (PCQs)

3

Idioms

5

Error identification in bold part of a sentence

3

Sentence completion questions

5

Overall

50

34.03

The RC passages were simple and the questions following them were also easy to answer. The RC questions in Part 1 were relatively easier to score when compared to the RC questions in Part 2. The VA questions in Part 2 were of slightly difficult as compared to those in Part 1. The PCQs were a bit difficult and needed good comprehension and understanding of grammar tools. The Fill in the blanks had simple options. Two out of three idiom questions were simple. Idiom questions were asked in both the sections with a difference in question type. The vocab questions were simple. Both the sections, part 1 and 2 (RC and VA) needed around 20 minutes each and a combined score of 30+ can be good enough for some of the good schools.

ATMA Quantitative Skills

No. of questions – 60 (in both sections put together)

The questions given on Quantitative Skills in ATMA this year is along the lines of previous ATMA papers. The questions given in Part -I are simple and straightforward, while the questions given in Part II are time-consuming and a few of them are application oriented.

The following table describes the difficulty level of various types of questions in Quant part.

Area

Topic

No. of
Questions

Good Score

Arithmetic

Equations, Ratio - Proportion & Variation

5

37 - 39

Percentages, Profit & Loss & Partnership

5

Numbers

2

Simple Interest & Compound Interest

2

Average, Mixtures & Alligation

2

Time & Distance

4

Geometry & Mensuration

2

Time & Work

2

Number Series

5

Quantitative Comparison

5

Higher Maths

P & C, Probability and Statistics

12

Data Interpretation

Charts + Caselet

14

Overall

60

Most of the questions were straightforward with simple concepts and direct application. About 30 minutes will be needed in each of the parts for this section and any score above 35-40 for both the sections combined can be considered to be good.

Though this section has questions on predictable patterns, this is the toughest section in the exam, relatively. The students needed good exposure and practice to crack the questions in these sections. Questions on deductions were tough this year which were based on possibility model. Overall, 35-40 minutes will be needed in each of the part of this section. Any score above 30 for both the sections combined will be a good one.

If compared to other MBA competitive exams in India, ATMA exam's difficulty level lies somewhere in the middle. But if you intend to take admission in the top B School in India, you have to ensure that you fare amongst the top rung of the 2017 ATMA results to study a PGDM or MBA course. Nevertheless, you should be well prepared not just with the syllabus, but with important notifications like: